


The Best Defense Part III: Watcher Training

by kronette



Series: Best Defense [3]
Category: Highlander: The Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-30
Updated: 2012-12-30
Packaged: 2017-11-22 22:07:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/614880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kronette/pseuds/kronette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story takes place a few weeks after part II. Adam Pierson is at Watcher Academy and meets his fellow trainees</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Defense Part III: Watcher Training

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted 1998 under my pseud, Shelley Wright.
> 
> I realized an error in my final edits of this. The Watcher CD says that Roger Harris graduated Watcher Academy in 1979; I could have sworn it said '82. So . . . I'm straying a bit further from canon now, but not too badly.
> 
> Many thanks to Beth, Kelly, Sandi and Debbi for beta-reading this for me.

Geneva, Switzerland 1982  
  
Greetings Darius,  
  
Training is going as I remembered it. Technology has  
improved, as you are well aware. Instructors are better  
equipped to handle tough questions, and they are not afraid to  
answer the controversial ones. Indeed, much better than three  
hundred years ago. Fellow trainees are more intensely  
focused, and I will have to keep sharp to stay ahead of the  
rest. I suppose this is good; it will keep my mind fresh -- and  
no cracks about dusty corners, please. I know you too well,  
my friend.  
  
It is nice to visit Geneva again. I have not set foot here in  
over six hundred years. It is still beautiful. I actually went  
skiing last week with Roger and Eugene -- fellow trainees who  
seem like good men. Time will tell, of course.  
  
There is one aspect of my new life I did not fully anticipate.  
Once I am actually in the Watchers, I will not be able to stop  
by for our late afternoon chess games, or our late evening  
talks. My cover is too precarious, and I would not risk both  
our heads. So, until my next life; be well, my friend. Live;  
grow stronger.  
  
M--  
  
Methos folded his letter precisely in thirds, slid it inside the envelope, and addressed the outside. He didn't fear anyone at the church reading his letter; it was written in ancient Greek, in a very little known dialect that only a handful of people alive could translate. He smoothed the envelope with a practiced hand, a fine tremor in his fingers. That sense of dread he had felt a few weeks ago with Don Salzer returned in full force. He removed the letter and added:  
  
Darius, I fear...I am not sure what I fear. But a sense of  
foreboding and dread has followed me here. Please, be  
careful. Of what, or whom, I do not know. But I trust my  
instincts, and I know you do, too.  
  
The dread didn't leave him; just settled a bit, yet he replaced the letter and sealed the envelope anyway. Further action would not be needed; Darius trusted his instincts as well as he trusted Darius'. As he had told the priest, they were both survivors. That survival had been partially based on instinct, and Methos would be damned if he turned his back on it now. Especially now, when he probably needed it most. He glanced to his sword's hiding place. It had remained behind that panel ever since he had arrived. Habit forced him to bring it with him to Switzerland, but caution forbade him from carrying it with him. If something should happen to him, and anyone at the Academy found it on his person...  
  
He heard footsteps skid to a halt outside his room, then loud pounding shook the door catch. "Hey, Pierson!"  
  
"Shit!" he cursed to himself as he rose from his desk. He had forgotten about his plans for the night. They had arranged a double date with two other trainees from the west wing. Jamie was bright, flirtatious, and intelligent, but that wasn't why Adam was instantly smitten. There was a coyness about her; a hint of daring. He couldn't quite put it into a coherent thought, but he knew there were sparks from their previous conversations. "I'm coming!" he yelled back as he quickly changed shirts. He glanced at the mirror and ran his hand through his still-long hair, satisfied. He grabbed his thick coat, swung the door open, and grinned. "Impatient, are we?"  
  
Roger pulled him into the hallway. "We're gonna be late! You think those women will _wait_ for us?"  
  
Adam chuckled as he pulled his coat on. "Of course they will. Where else do they have to go?" The Watcher Academy was set in an isolated section of Geneva, just outside of walking distance into the heart of the city. With snowfall measured in meters, walking a few blocks was hard enough. Add to that the Academy frowned upon "fraternization" with anyone not in training, and you pretty much had to find your own means of entertainment around the grounds. Luckily, a skating rink, movie theater, and bowling alley were close by.  
  
They had agreed to meet the women in the main lobby and walk the few blocks to the movie theater. They waited patiently for the elevator, then stepped inside and Roger punched the button for the lobby.  
  
"So, have you decided what you want to see, yet?" Adam teased.  
  
Roger rolled his eyes. "No. I mean, it's the _Star Wars_ sequel or _The Temple of Doom_. Which do you think they'll like?"  
  
"How would I know?" Adam demanded in exasperation. He added with a chuckle, "I've only talked to Jamie twice!"  
  
"Well," Roger whined, "What else am I supposed to do?" The elevator doors opened and they walked into the lobby.  
  
Adam shrugged as he bit back a grin. "I dunno. Ask them?"  
  
Roger sighed with relief and patted his arm. "Ask them. Good idea. There they are." His voice dropped to a whisper at the last sentence, and Adam's gaze followed Roger's.  
  
Jamie and Sofia were standing by the windows, looking out at the lightly falling snow. Sofia turned and greeted Roger with a shy smile, but Jamie continued to stare out the window. Adam slid up behind her and murmured, "Hi."  
  
"Hello," she replied, her Australian accent as light as his English one. She glanced coyly at him from the corner of her eye. "You look nice."  
  
"Isn't that supposed to be my line?" He kept his voice low, so he could use the excuse to lean in closer to her. She smelled of pine trees and crisp, night air. Her jet-black hair was loose about her shoulders, coming down to the middle of her back. He resisted the urge to bury his nose in it.  
  
Jamie turned to him then, their faces inches apart. "I think we're past the stage of exchanging pick-up lines, aren't we, Adam?"  
  
Adam felt the heat instantly rise between them. "If you say we are," he breathed.  
  
Her eyes dropped to his lips, and she smiled hesitantly. "We are."  
  
He couldn't stop the smug grin from tilting the corners of his mouth up. "Good." He held out his arm. "Shall we?"  
  
She laughed - a sparkly sound, as she tucked her arm through his. "Are you a medieval knight or modern day man?" she teased.  
  
"I'm whatever you want me to be," Adam replied as his hand brushed hers.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Adam supposed he felt like a teenager - unable to recall when he _was_ a teenager - as he nuzzled Jamie's neck. They had settled on _The Empire Strikes Back_ after all, though neither of them had paid much attention to the movie so far. Before the house lights dimmed, he had his arm around Jamie. Before the opening sequence rolled, Jamie had placed her hand on his thigh. By the time the Rebel fleet discovered Luke hadn't returned to base, he had his nose buried in her hair, as he'd thought of doing not a half hour ago, and she had her leg across his lap.  
  
He'd never enjoyed a movie more.  
  
She groaned softly as his lips lightly grazed her neck. His kisses grew more forceful as her hand slipped inside his shirt and stroked his chest. His mouth found her earlobe and latched onto it, careful of the three earrings posted into it. He tugged on each one gently until she gasped. In retaliation, her fingernails scraped across one of his nipples, and it was his turn to gasp.  
  
He pulled back from her, though his body was singing with desire. He was breathing hard as he whispered, "I don't think we should do this here."  
  
She sighed in agreement as her hand drew circles lightly across his chest. "You're right." He could see her eyes were dark, even in the darkness of the theater. Her hand settled at the curve of his hip, and she leaned forward. Her lips tickled his ear as she murmured, "My room is much more private." Her thumb traced lazy circles over his jeans, applying pressure to his groin that made him bite his lip to keep from moaning out loud.  
  
Her touch was like fire, and he felt himself drowning in the heat. His hands closed over hers, then removed them from his body. "Not here," he gasped hoarsely.  
  
She laced her fingers through his. "No, not here," she repeated as she tugged him to his feet. He feared he had one of those stupid, loopy grins on his face as they stumbled their way in the dark, but he didn't care. He felt too good to care.  
  
Once outside the theater, their arms went around each other. Partially cold, partially desire; but nonetheless they snuggled close against the biting wind. They made the walk in record time, both of them breathing heavily as they reached the lobby of her housing.  
  
They waited impatiently for the elevator, their backs to the lobby as their hands teased lightly over restrictive clothing. The doors didn't open soon enough, and they hastened inside with lips locked together. Their hands were immediately on each other's bodies; touching, stroking, teasing, promising.  
  
The elevator bounced lightly, and they dimly heard the 'bing' announcing Jamie's floor. They stumbled out of the doors and tripped as they both tried to remove each other's coats. They ended up laughing and walked the rest of the way to her door, just managing to keep their hands to themselves.  
  
"You don't have a roommate, do you?" Adam asked hesitantly as he peeked his head in her doorway.  
  
She wrapped her hands around his coat lapels and dragged him inside. "No," she assured him. She kicked the door closed behind him, then raised her lips to his again in a passionate kiss. His mouth opened under the intense pressure, and their tongues met in a shuddering embrace. She forced his coat from his shoulders, and he helped her toss it aside. Her coat had fallen to the floor already, so his hands went immediately to her sweater, working under it to stroke her back.  
  
She pulled back from him with a light laugh. "Impatient boy, aren't you?"  
  
He kissed along her jaw, leaving a wet trail to her earlobe. "I know what I want," he growled softly. His hands deftly unhooked her bra and he cupped her freed breasts.  
  
She groaned softly and wrapped her hands in his hair, holding him closer. "Just like that," she murmured.  
  
"Oh, I can do better than that," he promised huskily. With one quick movement, he removed her bra and sweater, the cold air and her arousal causing her nipples to stand erect. His mouth was drawn to one, his hand to the other. His tongue flicked over the tip, then he sucked wetly at her breast. Her knees gave out, and his arms wrapped around her waist to hold her upright.  
  
"Bed," she gasped and guided him to the doorway. Her hands were shaky as she pulled each button of his shirt through the buttonholes, but she succeeded in removing his shirt. Her hands stroked down his chest to his abdomen, admiring the firmly developed muscles. "Look at what you've been hiding, Mr. Pierson," she murmured appreciatively as she bent to place a kiss on one well-developed pec.  
  
He shuddered and pulled her up against his body. "Want to know what else I've been hiding?" he teased as he thrust his hips gently.  
  
She gasped and gripped his shoulders. "Oh, definitely," she breathed. Her mouth sought his again while her hands worked at his jeans. She tugged sharply on the button just as he was reaching for her pants, and they lost their balance. They tumbled to the bed in a tangle of limbs and clothing, their laughter muffled as they tried to disentangle themselves.  
  
"That wasn't what I had in mind," Adam quipped as he shook his arm free of the comforter.  
  
"Oh?" she answered with a sly grin. Her hands swiftly removed his jeans and boxers, leaving him naked. "I think it's perfect," she breathed as her eyes raked over his body.  
  
His sex instantly reacted to her gaze, and he reached out to pull her to him. Slowly, he worked the buttons of her jeans and slid them down her long legs. His mouth followed the denim, tasting the skin of one leg as it was exposed. Her head fell back as his tongue worked up her other leg, pausing to take a nip at the flesh behind her knee.  
  
"Adam," she groaned softly. Her hands tangled in his hair as she attempted to guide him up to her, but he had other ideas. With a wicked grin, he dove between her legs and sucked at her dripping sex strongly. He had to hold her hips down as she bucked beneath him, gasping his name. He lapped at her until he felt her shuddering climax. He gently kissed his way up her stomach, between her breasts, until his mouth closed over hers hungrily.  
  
Her arms wrapped around him, drawing him down on top of her. His sex was trapped against her thigh, and he moaned as she shifted under him. "I need to be inside you," he rasped.  
  
"Do you have a condom?" she asked on a breathy whisper.  
  
"Damnit, no," he hissed, cursing modern technology. In some ways, it was better when the diseases didn't have a name. Then he felt her sure hands on his cock, and his dark thoughts shifted to more primal ones. Maybe there was something to be said for technology, after all. He groaned again as her hands rolled the latex over him.  
  
"You're in luck, Pierson," she murmured in his ear. "I'm always prepared."  
  
"Thank the gods," he murmured back as he pulled her upright. He settled back against the wall, maneuvering her to straddle his thighs. Their lips locked again, desperate, hungry and demanding. She lowered herself onto him, and they both gasped at the sensation. Adam had been holding back too long; he started to thrust strongly, and she met him move for move, their hips rocking frantically. There was little tenderness in their joining; fingers dug into soft flesh and mouths bruised as their bodies slammed together again and again. Climax was quick and shattering, leaving them both breathless.  
  
Still breathing heavily, Adam suggested, "Want to give it another go?"  
  
With a short laugh, Jamie swatted at his chest. "As soon as I catch my breath."  
  
His hands started a slow exploration of her back as he murmured, "Why wait that long?" His mouth descended upon her neck, and he refused to give either one of them a chance to catch their breath.  
  
~~~~  
  
Adam was whistling as he headed to the cafeteria. Jamie had been everything he had thought she would be, and more. They had exhausted each other the night before, and he hadn't had a minute's sleep yet. He didn't need it. He was fully energized.  
  
"Adam! Hey, wait up!"  
  
He turned and waited for Roger to catch up to him. He couldn't quite keep the smug grin from his face as his friend fell into step beside him and they continued walking. "So?"  
  
"So, what?" Adam answered in his annoyingly vague way.  
  
"SO, how did it go last night? You and Jamie disappeared pretty early," Roger teased.  
  
Adam's face instantly fell to one of concern. "Yeah. She wasn't feeling well, so I escorted her back to her room."  
  
Roger grinned lasciviously "And?" he prompted.  
  
"And," Adam shrugged, "I made her some hot tea, made sure she was comfortable, and went back to my room."  
  
Roger's eyes widened in horror. "No way! No way, man. You couldn't have."  
  
Adam gave his best innocent look. "Why not?"  
  
"Come on. That was an excuse, right? She was only saying that to get you up to her room, right?" Some of Roger's confidence faded. "Right?"  
  
He couldn't do it. He couldn't stop the smile from lifting the corners of his mouth. "Um..."  
  
"You sly devil." His friend sighed in disappointment. "You're not going to tell, are you?"  
  
"Nope," Adam replied with grin. "But how did things go with Sofia? Are you going to see her again?"  
  
"We set up another date for next weekend. But, I mean, that's _next_ _weekend_. What am I supposed to do until then?" Roger lamented woefully.  
  
"I dunno; study?" Adam suggested. He instantly added, "Sorry," as Roger shot him a scathing look. "But we do have other things besides girls to think about, you know."  
  
"What are you worried about? You've got this stuff down cold. 'Don't interfere. Keep your own opinions out of the chronicles.' What do they think we are, children?"  
"No, they think we are wet-behind-the-ears children who need to be hand-held through life," Adam muttered, only half-kidding. While he was enjoying the training, they had very strict rules to follow. He didn't like it, but he had to play their game if he wanted in. And he wanted in.  
  
"Well, I can't wait to get back to Paris. I'm hoping to get into the field as soon as possible."  
  
"I don't envy you that, my friend. I prefer books."  
  
"I don't blame you, with a honker like that," Roger baited him.  
  
"This honker got me some the other night," Adam retorted with a wide smile. He tilted his head questioningly. "And what about you?"  
  
His friend blushed and stammered, "Aww, shut up."  
  
Adam couldn't help it; he chuckled and threw his arm around Roger. "Come on, I'll buy you a cup of coffee to soothe your wounded ego. And I'll tell you about last night," he added under his breath.  
  
Roger perked up immediately. "You're on!"  
  
As they entered the cafeteria, Roger stopped cold. "Think we could go somewhere else and talk?" he asked.  
  
"Why?" Adam wondered as his gaze slid around the room. "Oh..."  
  
Adam had found what Roger was concerned about. Pallin Wolf was sitting near the middle of the cafeteria, reading a book. He couldn't quite call Pallin a friend, not when they were such close rivals in their studies. Ranking was important as far as getting good assignments, and Adam wanted to be in the top 1%. They held a begrudging respect for each other, and that was about as far as it went.  
  
"It's okay, Roger. I can handle this." He nodded to reassure his friend, then they made their selections and chose a table. As Adam passed Pallin's table, he gave a polite nod. "Wolf."  
  
"Pierson," Pallin answered in kind. "Rumor has it you were out last night on a date."  
  
"I was," he confirmed.  
  
Pallin smiled. "I have no time for such trivialities. I intend to graduate first in my class."  
  
"I'm sure you will succeed," Adam offered graciously. "I'd rather have a bit of fun while I'm here. It does get cold at night," he hinted.  
  
The book Pallin was holding slammed shut. "Yeah, it does," he commented stiffly. "I'll see you in class."  
  
"Later," Adam muttered under his breath as he watched the American leave. If it weren't for the rankings, he might have liked the man. But as it was, Wolf stood in his way. There was no room for friendship.  
  
Roger waved a hand in front of his face. "Adam? Earth to Pierson!"  
  
Adam blinked. "Hm? Oh, sorry. I was just..."  
  
"Don't let him get to you. Half the class knows you're the smartest one here, Adam."  
  
He dragged his attention and thoughts away from his competition. "What about the other half?" he asked.  
  
"They know you're crazy," Roger answered, then grinned.  
  
Adam dropped his head to his hands and groaned in exaggeration. "Thanks so much."  
  
"Anything for a friend!" Roger added perkily.  
  
~~~~~  
  
1984, Geneva  
  
Darius,  
  
Things are going well. Roger and I have passed formal  
training and will be taking the Oath next week. Pallin got  
what he wished for; he graduated first in the class. He will  
go on to great things in the organization, I am sure. Roger  
has already applied for field work, and I have already  
spoken to Don about working closely with him. I will return  
to Paris then to resume my studies. I never thought I would  
miss Paris, but I have. I am more than ready to begin my life  
as a Watcher. My only regret is that I cannot see you, my  
dear friend. But, you will be in my thoughts, and perhaps I  
will be able to sneak into Saturday mass on occasion. Until  
my next life.  
  
M--  
  
He folded the letter precisely into thirds and slid it into the envelope, just as he had the many others. But this was special; it was the last one he would be sending for awhile. From now on, he would be Adam Pierson, Watcher. Or at least, Watcher-until-he-got-to-the- Methos-Project. He had written to Don a few times as well during his two years in Switzerland, and Don sounded excited that he was interested in the special chair. It would require hard work, Don had warned. Years of assistant research, then Research, then getting through committees to get the funding.  
  
Adam wasn't overly concerned. He knew that he would breeze through the early years of his Watcher career, and he planned within five years to be head of the Methos Project. He had to know what they had discovered about Methos. He had to translate the rest of that book Don had showed him, and see if he could convince Don that it wasn't Methos that the passage described. Too much hung in the balance, including his very life. If any description of him resided anywhere, he had to see that it was lost. If by some chance another Immortal got their hands on it, he would never be safe again. He would be hunted for the rest of his days, and that he could not allow. Not even for the sake of history.  
  
The End  
  



End file.
